The Chase
by KaytStarr
Summary: Too many people are being attacked in the city at night, so Lord Rahl issues a proclamation...


Lord Rahl paced up and down his office.

"How many this week?"

General Egremont consulted the sheaf of papers that he held.

"Fourteen muggings, two rapes and five murders My Lord, ten of the attacks were on servants while walking home in the evening from the Palace."

Lord Rahl banged his fist on the desk.

"This is not acceptable Egremont! I will not have my people attacked in the streets just yards from the People's Palace, the city should be a safe place for all it's citizens! Issue the following proclamation. I command that all citizens in the city will be allowed to walk the streets in complete safety, day or night. All attacks will cease and desist immediately. The severest punishments will be metered out to anyone disobeying this command.

The proclamation went out all over the city, notices were posted and the city watch proclaimed it at every street corner.

The next night there were three muggings and two murders.

The following morning Lord Rahl gave just one command. "Sort this problem out."

It was the second night after the proclamation and Emily queued up with the servants as she was preparing to leave the People's Palace. Palace security demanded that, anyone leaving or entering the People's Palace were searched and had their names recorded in a register. Emily looked around to find John, he was one of the palace guards that were on duty that evening searching people on their way out to make sure they were not smuggling items of worth out of the palace, as soon as she saw him she chose the queue of people he was checking.

"Hello John." She gave him a broad smile.

John blushed as she spoke his name. "There is no need to search you miss."

"Just because I haven't got a bag, doesn't mean I'm not hiding something."

Emily opened her cloak and held out her arms. John timidly patted up her skirt and body until he reached her waist, he stopped as he eyes fell upon her low cut top.

"You look very nice tonight miss."

"I'm going to see my sisters. Did you find anything John?"

"Oh no miss." He pulled his hands away quickly, embarrassed that his hands (and eyes) had lingered too long. Emily pretended she hadn't notice.

"Goodnight then John."

"Goodnight miss and be careful, there are a lot of unsavoury folk wandering around at night."

"I will."

As Emily walked away she turned and waved at John, who blushed again. She really liked John, but he was so shy and timid around her, she wondered if he would ever make the first move, still, there was always tomorrow.

Emily walked for a while with the group of servants, they all walked in silence, everyone was nervous concerning the recent events. Eventually the group reached the market place where they all split up and went their various ways. Emily headed alone into the North West district, this district was known by the locals as 'The Shades'.

The Shades was a place where poorer people lived.

The Shades was a place where folk made sure they were home before dark and the door was firmly locked.

The Shades was a place where most of the recent attacks had occurred.

The Shades was a place where nice girls didn't go.

Emily pulled her cloak around herself, put her head down and kept walking. At first the only sound she could hear was her own footsteps, but after a while she was aware that she was being followed and she quickened her pace. A man stepped out of the shadows in front of her, Emily stopped, she heard a noise from behind, two other men were standing there, none of them looked like soldiers, palace guards or the city watch. The man ahead spoke first, he appeared to be their leader.

"What are you doing on the streets at this hour miss?"

"I'm, I'm going to visit my sisters." Emily replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

The leader smiled "Perhaps we could show you the way."

One of the other men also smiled "Perhaps we could visit your sisters as well."

Emily didn't like the way they were looking at her and pulled her cloak tightly around her. "I can find my own way, I don't need any help."

"Haven't you heard, it's not safe on the streets at night, we could escort you, for a fee."

"I don't have any money."

The leader smiled again (though leered would seem more appropriate). "There are other ways you could pay us."

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

They all turned to see a man standing there, he was about sixty years old, small in stature and looked very frightened. He was certainly no match for the three thugs that stood before him.

"What's it to you old man?" Snarled the leader.

"Lord Rahl says…"

"Lord Rahl is tucked up in his fancy bed in the palace. We're the authority on the streets tonight, so piss off!"

The old man looked at the men as they surrounded the young girl. "I'm so sorry, I wish I could help you."

One of the other men walked over an shoved the old man's shoulder. "Didn't you hear, he said Piss Off!"

The old man gave one last glance at the girl then scurried away.

The leader turned his attention back to the girl and said. "I believe you were going to take us to meet your sisters."

Without warning Emily sprinted past the leader and was a good fifteen feet ahead before any of them reacted.

"Get her!"

The men were fast, but Emily was faster, she ran like the wind her hair and cloak trailing behind her. The men gave chase whooping and calling as they ran, instead of being upset, the chase excited them and fuelled their lust.

Down Pemberton street, turn left into Calley Street, right on to Pig Lane, Emily knew these streets well. After her parents had died, she had spent most of her childhood roaming around like a wild creature, begging and thieving and generally getting into trouble. Until one day, when one of her sisters had found her eating food from a dustbin, she had been dragged home, scrubbed clean and taught how to look after herself. It was a long time since she had been allowed to run free like this through the streets and despite the immediate danger she almost wanted to laugh with joy. However, this wasn't a time for laughter, the situation was serious, the men were closing in on her. Camber Road, Flower Lane then into Leeches Alley. Emily stopped, Leeches Alley was a dead end, she ran further down the alley then turned to face the men.

"There's nowhere left to go little girl."

"You are going to have to be extra nice to us now you've put us to all this trouble."

Emily smiled. "You wanted to meet my sisters, well here they are."

Behind Emily, from out of the shadows stepped her sisters, clad in red leathers and holding agiels. The men turned to run, but more figures now blocked the entrance to the alley. One man fell to his knees and started praying to the spirits for help, another stood there shaking. A stain appeared at the front of his trousers as he urinated in fear. The leader held out his hands in apology and tried to smile.

"You don't understand, it's all just a misunderstanding, we were only having a bit of fun."

The Mord'Sith said nothing and moved in on the men.

The old man who had been out earlier looked out of his bedroom window. The screaming had eventually stopped and all was quiet. His wife stirred in bed.

"What are you doing by the window? Come to bed."

"I tried to warn them you know."

"They got what they deserved."

The old man watched as the Mord'Sith came into view, they were dragging the three unconscious men along the ground behind them.

"No one deserves that."

As the women passed beneath his window, the young girl he had seen earlier looked up at him, gave a smile and waved. He shied from the window, it did not do to come to the attention of the Mord'Sith.

The man's wife, now more awake turned on her side to look at her husband.

"Too many people were being attacked recently. Say what you like about Lord Rahl, but at least when he promises the streets will be safe to walk, he means it. Now stop worrying about them and come to bed."


End file.
